"NONCHALANT RECIPIENTS"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 125, 24 November 1930, Page 8

"NONCHALANT RECIPIENTS"

Two correspondents, Stephen T. ■P. Doidge and "Mrs. M.," comment upon the Rev. Dr. Pinfold's references to the greater numbers of people accepting the dole in England and the nonchalant way in which, they go to receive it. Mr. Doidge says that the change in the manner of dole recipients is due to the change of Government. "The present Government is more humane in the treatment of the people than the Government qf his previous visits. It is evident that' Dr. Pinfold is ignorant of the hardships and privations suffered by the working classes of the Old Country during the terrible years of the war. It is a great pity that Dr. Pinfold should return to the Dominion without catching some of the nonchalant care-free spirit. 1 think a dose of it would doWis good here just now." "Everything is liable to abuse, apart from the dole (writes "Mrs. M."). It is abused, I know too well—l was nevertheless pained to notice that not one redeeming feature was noticed by Dr. Pinfold in connection with its distribution. It i 3 a pity that it waa ever needed—still further do we all deplore its introduction in New Zealand. But just as thousands have been kept alive by its beneficial effects,, bo also have hundreds abused it. And they will, too, in this 'new and lovely land!' My name and full address—although' not published—are at his entire disposal; and I can produce overwhelming proofs to con-/ tradict practically all the impressions of youi correspondent. His opinions may be truthful, I will admit, judged from his views of things at Home—but they> are not fair to England, simply because it is impossible to get right underneath v the life of its people in a few months. , . . Things are bad, it is true—but it has not been all the fault of the 'dole.' Possibly he never for a moment considered the point of view of the decent worker, who is forced to either become demoralised by no work or the dole? The seeking for work, the constant remark 'no men wanted,' the return home after weary (< fruitless tramping—and the only salvation to maintain courage and strength to searclvt again and again is the much-abused- dole."